For an Alaska like you've never imagined...
off the beaten path, full of glaciers and grizzlies, fishing and fireweed....
I spent last week in southeastern Alaska, cruising the Inside Passage on an Uncruise boat that was something between a ferry and a research vessel. The cabins were modest, the shower resembled a contraption you’d find on a small sailboat, and the dining room was a row of booths. There wasn’t an inch of marble countertop in sight.
Yet, it was a decadently luxurious experience for me and my fellow 38 guests. Let me tell you how…
Someone heard that I was an early riser, after which coffee was brewed every morning at 4:00am.
We returned from snorkeling with the lavender sunstars of Saginaw Bay and were greeted by Chris, who’d set up a hot cider bar on the fantail (“Would you like a splash of Captain Morgans?”). He served us in the hot tub!
Whales surfaced by LeConte Glacier.
Our captain – free from a strict schedule and as giddy as a 6-year-old on Christmas morning– cut the boat engines so we could float around the bay, gawking at and photographing these giant migrants to our heart’s delight. 2 hours later, we moved on.
In the village of Petersburg, Uncruise hooked us up with an old salt named Grant who escorted us on a Dock Walk and introduced us to a deckhand on the Island Pride. Tales of gaffing hooks and sneaky sperm whales gave us a taste of the purse seining culture upon which this southeastern Alaskan village was built.
5’ seas and 50-knot winds broadcast through the radio, so the crew spirited us to sheltered Whitney Island where, free from foul weather, they set up a beach party on a narrow spit of sand, complete with low tide walk and s’mores over a beach bonfire.
Phil, one of our adventure guides, surprised my hiking group with a sack of warm-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies, to buoy our spirits as the first drops of liquid sunshine fell in the fairy forest of Ideal Cove.
Each evening we sat down to 3-course feasts – halibut and other Alaskan fish bought straight off the boats on Wrangell wharf, crunchy red kale salad with fresh grapefruit, and beautifully sauteed leafy green vegetables.
Each morning started with a crisp fruit salad, complete with plump blackberries and kiwi.
One morning I revisited the breakfast buffet for a 2nd scone (did I mention the full-time pastry chef who spoiled us daily with handmade breads, Alaska berry compotes, and a bottomless cookie jar?) and noticed that that bowl of amazing fruit salad had been devoured, leaving only delicious juice in the bottom. I poured the juice into a glass, and (secretly, I thought) savored the remains. Justin, the steward, did notice though, and the next morning, he greeted me with a glass of fruit salad juice, freshly pressed in the kitchen, just for me.
One morning the Alaska State Ferry appeared down the channel. It was the first (and would be the only) ship we saw all week. All the typical cruise ships were relegated to the main channels and over-touristed port towns. We had the pristine wilderness to ourselves!
And what a front row seat we had!
We had access to special places that most people only dream of, thanks to Uncruise’s maneuverable shallow-draft ship. Its flexible port-free sailing plan enabled us to pause for wildlife when it magically appeared, and its doting crew – well, they made the trip!
So as bald eagles put on a fishing show, diving a mere 20’ in front of our skiff, their mustard colored talons piercing their fish as they winged away with might and grace…
and as Orcas breached under a brilliant rainbow one afternoon (you can’t make this stuff up!)….
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| not a good shot - but I had to prove to you that Orcas and rainbows were in the same shot! |
We soaked in an Alaskan cruise experience that was quite rare, and entirely unforgettable.
I finally understand what Uncruise means by:
“Unrushed. Uncrowded. Unbelievable.”
You want to see an Alaska that is unique, and natural? I did too!
Let me share my secrets with you for an Alaska, like you never imagined!
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